Central Park, the 843-acre green oasis in the center of Manhattan, is perhaps the most famous urban park in the world.

In 1858, world-renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux's "Greensward" plan was selected in a contest to determine the design for a grand new park for the people of New York. Built with 590 species of shrubs and 815 species of perennials and Alpine plants, an environmental mecca inspired by English romantic landscapes was soon created within this bustling metropolis.

Urbanites have flocked to the park since the beginning, with over 4 million visitors making their way to the park in 1863! Today the park averages over 20 million visitors per year.

Since its construction, Central Park has evolved from a place of pastoral grandeur to a combination of natural beauty, recreational facilities and outdoor arenas.

• Explore this green oasis on rollerblades, pausing to rest at the Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir where waterfowl abound.
• Relax in solitude or plan a wedding at the Great Lawn, site of the former Yorkville Reservoir.
• Hear the New York Philharmonic play amid the warmth of a New York summertime.